وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مَسْجِدًا ضِرَارًا وَكُفْرًا وَتَفْرِيقًۢا بَيْنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَإِرْصَادًا لِّمَنْ حَارَبَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ مِن قَبْلُ ۚ وَلَيَحْلِفُنَّ إِنْ أَرَدْنَآ إِلَّا ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَـٰذِبُونَ 107
Translations
And [there are] those [hypocrites] who took for themselves a mosque for causing harm and disbelief and division among the believers and as a station for whoever had warred against Allāh and His Messenger before. And they will surely swear, "We intended only the best." And Allāh testifies that indeed they are liars.
Transliteration
Wa-alladhīna ittakhadhū masjidan dirāran wa-kufran wa-tafrīqan bayna al-mu'minīn wa-irṣādan li-man ḥāraba Allāh wa-rasūlahu min qabl; wa-la-yaḥlifunna in aradnā illā al-ḥushnā; wa-Allāh yashhad innahum la-kādhībūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the hypocrites who built the Masjid al-Ḍirār (the 'Mosque of Harm') in Medina with the intention of causing division among believers, providing a base for enemies of Allah and His Messenger, and as an alternative to Masjid Qubā'. Classical scholars like Al-Ṭabarī and Ibn Kathīr explain that despite the hypocrites' false oaths claiming good intentions, Allah testifies to their deception. The ayah exposes the reality that outward religious acts done with corrupt intentions are worthless and that Allah is All-Knowing of hidden intentions.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed regarding a specific historical incident in Medina where hypocrites (munāfiqūn) built a mosque ostensibly for worship but actually to rival Masjid Qubā' and provide shelter for those hostile to Islam. This occurred near the end of the Prophet's life and is thematically situated within Surah At-Tawbah's broader discourse on hypocrisy and the conditions of true belief versus outward pretense.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered the demolition of Masjid al-Ḍirār, saying 'I have been commanded to destroy it.' Additionally, various hadiths warn against actions done for show (riyā') and emphasize that Allah judges intentions (niyyah), as found in the famous hadith: 'Actions are by intentions' (al-A'māl bi-al-niyyāt).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that external religious actions devoid of sincere intentions are spiritually hollow, and that Allah's knowledge encompasses all hidden motives—thus Muslims must continually examine their intentions and ensure their actions serve to unite rather than divide the community of believers.
Related Ayahs
وَلَقَدْ كَانُوا۟ عَـٰهَدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مِن قَبْلُ لَا يُوَلُّونَ ٱلْأَدْبَـٰرَ ۚ وَكَانَ عَهْدُ ٱللَّهِ مَسْـُٔولًا
And they had already promised Allāh before not to turn their backs [i.e., flee]. And ever is the promise to Allāh [that about which one will be] questioned.
وَإِنَّ مِنكُمْ لَمَن لَّيُبَطِّئَنَّ فَإِنْ أَصَـٰبَتْكُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالَ قَدْ أَنْعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىَّ إِذْ لَمْ أَكُن مَّعَهُمْ شَهِيدًا
And indeed, there is among you he who lingers behind; and if disaster strikes you, he says, "Allāh has favored me in that I was not present with them."
عَفَا ٱللَّهُ عَنكَ لِمَ أَذِنتَ لَهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكَ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ وَتَعْلَمَ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ
Allāh has pardoned you, [O Muḥammad, but] why did you give them permission [to remain behind]? [You should not have] until it was evident to you who were truthful and you knew [who were] the liars.
هُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ لَا تُنفِقُوا۟ عَلَىٰ مَنْ عِندَ رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ حَتَّىٰ يَنفَضُّوا۟ ۗ وَلِلَّهِ خَزَآئِنُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ لَا يَفْقَهُونَ
They are the ones who say, "Do not spend on those who are with the Messenger of Allāh until they disband." And to Allāh belong the depositories of the heavens and the earth, but the hypocrites do not understand.